Blaming Atheism for the Behavior of Atheists (Atheist Book Response, Part 17)

Think Well

Christians will sometimes point to the violent behavior of atheists like Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong when showing why atheism is false. Is this a fair argument? Can we suggest that the depravity caused by atheists reflects back on atheism? What about Christianity? Do the evil actions of Christians mean that Christianity is evil? Atheist Armin Navabi, author of "Why There Is No God," addresses this topic in chapter 17. He writes, "The violence within Christianity or Islam can often be traced back to the teachings of those religions because it is embedded in the ideology of the religions themselves." But when it comes to atheists, Armin writes, "While it's true that Stalin and Mao were corrupt leaders who denounced religion among their people, suggesting that their depravity was caused by atheism or that their behavior was at all indicative of atheism as a whole simply does not follow." Join the show as we walk through Armin's chapter and look at how the actions of individuals reflect back on their belief systems. Also, is it true that Christianity has dogma that creates excuses for violence or leads to it? I don't think so, but let's chat! As always, your calls and questions are welcome!